Wed May 15 2:01pm ET
Field Level Media
Christmas Day for NFL marketing and ticket sales departments finally arrived Wednesday with the release of the 2024 season schedule.
With subplots and peripheral angles multiplying before our eyes - hello, Netflix, welcome to NFL holiday football broadcasts - Field Level Media's football-minded contributors assembled the top 25 games of 2024.
24. Cardinals at Jets, TBD: We're grabbing our popcorn for one matchup, and one matchup alone: Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner. Top five draft picks likely to be near the top of the pecking order at their position for a decade.
23. Colts at Patriots, TBD: Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, meet Anthony Richardson, drafted fourth overall in 2023. Indianapolis appeared to have a hit on its hands before Richardson was shut down to undergo shoulder surgery. If he can stay healthy and Maye isn't relegated to clipboard duty behind former Colts starter Jacoby Brissett, we're eager to make early evaluations of purported franchise QBs.
22. Jaguars at Eagles, TBD: Young QBs and strong pass rush are common bonds, sure, but the plotline we're looking at is the reception for Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson. He played for the Eagles (1999) but was essentially a coach-in-training for Donovan McNabb, then served as an assistant for Andy Reid and came back from a stint in KC for a five-year run that included a Super Bowl.
21. Bears at Texans, TBD: The Bears also get a meeting with the Carolina Panthers for the second consecutive season. With all due respect to Panthers 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young, the top rookie quarterback last season was Houston's C.J. Stroud. His numbers would have been the best ever single-season passing total for a Bears QB (4,108 to Erik Kramer's team record of 3,803). Stroud had 26 TD passes including the playoffs despite missing time with a concussion). The Bears hitched their wagon to No. 1 pick Caleb Williams with the rookie carrying massive talent - and expectations - in Year 1.
20. Vikings at Giants, TBD: All of the QB uncertainty one can handle on the undercard, LSU products Justin Jefferson (Vikings) and Malik Nabers (Giants) in the main event.
19. 49ers at Seahawks, TBD: Maybe you overlooked it. There's not a chance Brock Purdy did. He knows new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald's defense - that of the Ravens - had him seeing ghosts in a five-interception laugher on Christmas Night last season. Macdonald's new club has a bunch of cross-training chess pieces determined to unseat the 49ers from the NFC West perch.
18. Jets at 49ers, Sept. 9: Week 1 on "Monday Night Football" is a familiar refrain for the Jets, who are hoping Aaron Rodgers has some magic left following a season-ending injury four snaps into his first start with the team in 2023. Rodgers is local - Chico, Calif., Butte JC and Cal - and went 6-3 against the 49ers with the Packers. Now 40 years old, he'll try to tip the scales toward the Jets, who are 3-11 all-time in the series with San Francisco. Jets head coach Robert Saleh has known 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan since breaking into the NFL as a low-level assistant with the Texans 15 years ago and was defensive coordinator on his staff before taking over with the Jets.
17. Cowboys at Commanders, TBD: Dan Quinn gets his second chance as a head coach in Washington and to be the champ in the NFC East, he'll have to take down his previous employer and boss, the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy. Given the amount of time Quinn spent with McCarthy and Dak Prescott, don't discount the level of concern the Cowboys have entering two games with Washington.
16. Eagles vs. Packers (Brazil), Sept. 6: The youngest roster in the NFL last season belonged to the Packers, and nobody can fault what Green Bay did in the offseason. Head coach Matt LaFleur debuts his offense with Josh Jacobs at running back and a new-look defense. It'll also be a big reveal game for the Eagles, unleashing their own big-ticket offseason item, Saquon Barkley, and a number of new faces on defense.
15. Falcons at Vikings, TBD: Welcome back, Kirk Cousins, congratulations on finding a team that didn't want to invest in a young quarterback to insure its $100M guarantee to a 35-year-old starter coming off an Achilles injury. Oops. Cousins could be hailed or hated for bailing on the Vikings in free agency following 50 regular-season wins in six seasons of Skol-ing.
14. Ravens at Chargers, TBD: Los Angeles and new hire Jim Harbaugh welcome John Harbaugh and the Ravens with entertainment expected to be rich before, during and after a matchup of AFC heavyweights. John Harbaugh won the last meeting and survived a brief power outage at the Super Bowl in New Orleans to take home the Lombardi and deal Jim's 49ers a painful defeat.
13. Steelers at Broncos, Week 2: Revenge games bring out the spirit and emotion you might not otherwise find in games that don't include Mike Tomlin. Pittsburgh picked up Russell Wilson after he was scrapped at a cost north of $80 million to Denver by second-year head coach Sean Payton. Payton, of course, is still in town and brought in a rookie, Oregon's Bo Nix, to train in the system that helped make Drew Brees a legend. Don't look now, but Pittsburgh had a sneaky excellent offseason while the Broncos shed leaders and linchpins on both sides of the ball (Wilson, Justin Simmons, Jerry Jeudy). If reunions are your thing, Payton also heads back to New Orleans this season.
12. Jets at Bills, Week 17: We know they'll get an earlier go at each other on "Monday Night Football" In October, but let's give the season time to breath and Aaron Rodgers time to round back into form. He'll be recently removed from his 41st birthday but should know the names of all of his wide receivers, a task Josh Allen might need more time to complete.
11. Ravens at Cowboys, TBD: Dak Prescott was great at home last season and Dallas fortified the offensive line through the draft. Whether new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has an answer for mobile quarterbacks - namely Lamar Jackson - might be the hot-button issue for the Cowboys. Baltimore's No. 1-ranked defense in 2023 also traveled well last season, battering Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert and limiting those three teams to a combined 36 points in Ravens' road wins.
10. 49ers at Packers, Nov. 24: Week 12 and the start of a pivotal, NFC-dominated, primetime featured stretch for Green Bay with nighttime marquee matchups at Detroit (Week 14) and Seattle (Week 15) ahead. Jordan Love's two interceptions stopped the Packers short of an upset at San Francisco in the divisional playoffs in January.
9. Texans at Cowboys, TBD: C.J. Stroud appears to be special and the Texans made sure his supporting cast wouldn't be a reason for a sophomore slump. But one warning: only the Bills and Patriots have a more difficult schedule based on 2023 results and offseason moves. Among the appealing underlying matchups: Houston wide receiver Stefon Diggs vs. Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.
8. Bears at Packers, Jan. 5: The Week 18 finale was meaningful for Green Bay last season, and Jordan Love guided the Packers into the postseason to sweep the Bears and continue the trend Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers started. No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams makes his first foray into the likely frozen tundra. Will the Bears be playing for more than a spoiler token?
7. Dolphins at 49ers, TBD: It was Dec. 4, 2022, and far more meaningful than we knew at the time when a seventh-round rookie - 49ers QB Brock Purdy - made his first career start with two TD passes in a 33-17 home win over the Miami Dolphins. Back to the scene come the Dolphins with former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel a solid bet to share some unknown intel about old boss Kyle Shanahan in the game week buildup.
6. Ravens at Chiefs, Sept. 5: Had this one been bumped back a couple months to multiply the meaningfulness in the standings and AFC playoff picture, it had an angle on a top three game of the 2024 regular season. Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes remains must-see for all the right reasons.
5. 49ers at Bills, Dec. 4: The week-after-Thanksgiving primetime game on Sunday of Week 13 should be meaningful for teams with Super Bowl aspirations.
4. Rams at Lions, TBD: Two franchises on schedule to combine for more than $350 million in deposits into Jared Goff's bank account are back at it with Detroit out to duplicate their playoff win in January over one-time Lions QB Matthew Stafford.
3. Ravens at Eagles, TBD: Star power on display? Check-check. Potential Super Bowl preview? Sure thing. Saquon Barkley (Eagles) and Derrick Henry (Ravens) add firepower to a pair of offenses with explosive potential.
2. Lions at 49ers, TBD: Other than tackle eligible, think of another phrase that could spike Dan Campbell's temperature more than "at San Francisco." Didn't think so. The Lions were halfway to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl leading the 49ers handily in the NFC Championship but coughed up a 17-point lead and bowed out of the playoffs in a 34-31 defeat instead. If Campbell circled this game on the schedule in ink, we're guessing you can't read it.
1. (tie) Chiefs at 49ers, TBD: Familiar enough to be rivals, the Chiefs left with the jewels in recent games that really mattered between teams with a combined 50-18 record the past two regular seasons. San Francisco took a lashing from the Chiefs, 44-23, at home in Oct. 23 before the dawning of the Brock Purdy era.
1. (tie) Bengals at Chiefs, TBD: Don't forget Joe Burrow, he's more than the highest-paid player in 2024. The Bengals quarterback is 3-1 against the Chiefs but was sidelined with a broken wrist when the teams played in 2023. Don't look for a warm reception in Kansas City, where fans aren't soon to forget Burrow's boys calling the Chiefs' stadium "Burrow-head" based on his success at the home of Patrick Mahomes.
San Francisco 49ers running back Brian Robinson Jr. is coming off his best two games since joining the team. Robinson handled eight carries for 41 yards and a touchdown in Week 10's loss to the Rams, following his Week 9 performance against the Giants, where he had 53 yards and a touchdown on five carries. The 26-year-old finally found the end zone and has run well as the primary backup behind Christian McCaffrey this season. His 4.9 yards per carry would be the highest of his career over a full season, and he remains one of the premier handcuffs in fantasy. It's possible that the coaching staff lightens up McCaffrey's workload down the stretch to keep him fresh for a potential playoff run and gives Robinson a path to real standalone value. But if McCaffrey were to miss any time, Robinson would immediately slot in as a high-end RB2 in Kyle Shanahan's offense.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye remains a must-start in fantasy football ahead of Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets in Week 11. Maye is coming off a solid 270-yard, two-touchdown game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that made him the highest-scoring quarterback in fantasy football this season. He continues to flash a high completion rate, consistent scoring tendencies, strong passing yardage efficiency, and impressive rushing abilities, allowing him to stand atop the fantasy football podium while leading the Patriots to an 8-2 start (and a seven-game win streak). This week, Maye gets a relatively favorable matchup against the Jets, who have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points and fifth-most rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks in 2025. Maye remains a high-end QB1 for this divisional matchup on national television.
From RotoBaller
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington has been a fairly consistent contributor for the offense since Tyreek Hill (knee) went down in Week 4. Washington has served as a lite version of Hill, with plenty of designed targets and jet sweeps to get the ball in his hands. The per catch efficiency has been modest for the 24-year-old, with his 6.4 yards per reception ranking third lowest out of 117 wide receivers with at least 100 routes this season, per Fantasy Points Data Suite. Washington remains among the top Miami pass catchers in routes run and has recorded multiple receptions in all but one game this season. Washington has also scored twice in the past three weeks and gets a glorious Week 11 matchup against a Washington Commanders defense that has allowed the second-most PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas isn't expected to see an increase in volume despite Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) being ruled out for a second consecutive week. Douglas caught just two passes on a 21 percent snap share with Boutte sidelined last Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so he should handle similar volume on Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets in Week 11. The 24-year-old has been a solid depth contributor this year, but it appears that he's firmly entrenched behind Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, and Kyle Williams in the pecking order. Fantasy managers should leave Douglas on the bench or the waiver wire this week.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker has had a productive season in nine games this season, catching 34 of his 46 targets for 455 yards and four touchdowns, leading the team in all categories except targets. Tucker was quiet in the first week after the Raiders traded Jakobi Meyers to Jacksonville, catching two of three targets for 28 yards in their Week 10 loss at Denver. But both sides struggled offensively in that game, and Las Vegas finished with only 143 total receiving yards. The recent return of Brock Bowers will likely draw more defensive attention, potentially creating more opportunities for Tucker to hit on explosive plays down the field. Tucker ranks as WR31 with 107.1 total PPR points, with 40.9 of those coming in Week 3 versus the Washington Commanders. It is still the most PPR points by a wide receiver in a game this season. Tucker will have flex value in a favorable matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry is a solid fantasy football starter in Week 11 against the New York Jets. Henry only had one catch last week, but he has been targeted 10 times over the last two games and is the overall TE15 in PPR leagues this year. This Thursday night, he should see increased volume with backup tight end Austin Hooper (concussion) sidelined. Hooper's absence leaves Henry as the Patriots' only healthy tight end on gameday, excluding fullback/tight end Jack Westover, who has one target and zero catches this year. Therefore, Henry, who has already been playing more than three-quarters of the snaps and leading his position group in targets, should be even more involved against the Jets. In addition to Hooper's absence, Henry stands to benefit from a very favorable matchup, as the Jets have allowed the second-most touchdowns to tight ends in 2025. Managers should view the 30-year-old as a top-12 tight end in fantasy football this week.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots running back Terrell Jennings (knee) is on track to operate as the backup to TreVeyon Henderson in Week 11 after Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) was ruled out for a third consecutive game. Jennings has opened each of the last two weeks as the Patriots' No. 2 running back, but his Week 10 outing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was cut short due to a knee injury. That same ailment limited him in practice this week and left him questionable to face the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football. It's a relatively quick turnaround for the second-year back to get healthy, but the Patriots are leaving the door open for him to play with this injury designation. Jennings should have a role if he suits up. Just last week, he earned the team's first touches before TreVeyon Henderson even got his hands on the football. Jennings had 12 touches, 44 scrimmage yards, and a touchdown in the Patriots' first game sans Stevenson, and we could expect similar volume in a favorable game script against the Jets. If he plays on Thursday, Jennings has low-end RB3/flex appeal in leagues with 14 or more teams.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs will look to extend his touchdown streak to four games during Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets in Week 11. Diggs has posted modest volume lately, but the touchdown streak has been enough for him to rack up double-digit fantasy points (PPR) in four consecutive weeks. He continues to play just over half of the team's offensive snaps, perhaps limiting his ceiling. Nevertheless, he remains the most talented receiver in New England's offense, and Drake Maye has plenty of trust in him. He should continue to produce against the Jets and could benefit from the absence of Sauce Gardner, whom New York traded away one week ago. Diggs ranks as a low-end WR2.
From RotoBaller
Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Luther Burden III is in line for more opportunities moving forward after a strong performance in Week 10 against the Giants and positive coachspeak from head coach Ben Johnson after the game. Johnson spoke glowingly of Chicago's rookie second-rounder, saying that "he's the guy that's starting to get more targets" and adding that the trust level between Burden and quarterback Caleb Williams "continues to ascend." The 21-year-old is certainly deserving of more work with how efficient and dynamic he's been with his limited looks. Out of 115 wide receivers with at least 15 targets this season, Burden's 12.3 yards per target ranks fourth highest, per Fantasy Points Data Suite. Burden's stock is trending up, and he's a strong hold in 12-team leagues.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins has emerged as quarterback Drake Maye's favorite target lately, and he should continue to remain highly involved against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football in Week 11. Hollins has 15 catches over his last three games, including at least six catches in two of those three contests. Last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with Kayshon Boutte (hamstring) sidelined, Hollins caught six of his 10 targets for 106 yards. This was his first 100-yard game since 2022 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Not only has the 32-year-old receiver earned Maye's trust, but he'll also remain a central piece of the game plan with Boutte sidelined for a second consecutive week. Hollins was a bit of a non-factor at the start of the year, but he has started to emerge as a household name and should rank as a low-end WR3/flex against a struggling Jets squad.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams should continue to see more involvement during Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets in Week 11. Williams is coming off a strong outing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which he posted a season-high (and, thus, career-high) 56 percent snap share. He caught one of two targets in the victory, breaking off an impressive 72-yard touchdown that wound up on numerous highlight reels. While we can't count on the rookie to break off a huge touchdown every week, last Sunday's big play should be enough to earn him more opportunities going forward. His volume will also continue to benefit from the absence of Kayshon Boutte (hamstring), who is headed for his second consecutive absence. Williams still has to compete with players like Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, and DeMario Douglas for volume, but he's certainly starting to earn the trust of Drake Maye and New England's coaching staff. Williams is a WR5 with a low floor and high ceiling this week. Managers in most leagues can leave him on the bench until we see him consistently earn more targets.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson is on track to lead the backfield in Week 11 after Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) was ruled out for a third consecutive game. After totaling 150 yards and two touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, Henderson will look to keep his momentum during a short week, facing off against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football. New York ranks near the middle of the league in terms of fantasy points allowed to running backs, but a spread of New England -12.5 could lead to a heavy dose of touches for Henderson, as well as teammates Terrell Jennings (knee) and D'Ernest Johnson. The rookie still has some things to clean up -- he averaged just 1.96 YPC on non-scoring plays last week -- but if he can continue to play more than three-quarters of the snaps while carving out a role as a rusher and receiver, he'll be in line for a very strong fantasy outing in Week 11. He ranks as a solid RB2 with RB1 upside.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (collarbone, foot) has been sidelined for seven consecutive games after suffering a broken collarbone during their Week 2 win over the Washington Commanders and being placed on injured reserve. His timeline to return was estimated to be around six to eight weeks, which we are close to approaching, and his 21-day practice window hasn't been opened yet. The 25-year-old has fully recovered from the Jones fracture in his foot, and he is making progress with his collarbone. The dynamic wideout should be able to return either for the Thanksgiving game versus the Detroit Lions in Week 13 or in the following week against the Chicago Bears. With multiple Packers' pass catchers banged up, Reed is well worth a stash for his eventual return in a few weeks.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum remains a steady producer alongside Kyren Williams, as Williams held a slight lead in touches, 16 to 13, last week. While Williams continues to see the majority of the offensive snaps (58%), head coach Sean McVay has found ways to utilize his change-of-pace back. Corum has seen 12 or more carries in each of the last three games, but faces a stiff Seattle Seahawks defense in Week 11. Corum should be considered a speculative add on the waiver wire this week, with exploitable defenses down the road.
From RotoBaller
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tyler Lockett has seemingly resurrected his career after signing with the team on October 27. After seeing just 19 snaps in Week 9, Lockett was on the field for 34 plays in Week 11. The savvy veteran reunited with quarterback Geno Smith, and hauled in five passes for 44 yards. With Lockett already having a strong relationship with Smith, the situation couldn't be better for the 33-year-old wideout. Lockett's crisp route running should continue to shine, as the Raiders utilize him alongside Brock Bowers and Tre Tucker. Lockett is a must-add for PPR formats.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox is once again rising in the positional rankings as starter Dalton Kincaid (hamstring) missed practice on Wednesday. The Bills enter an exciting Week 11 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where scoring should be plentiful. Knox saw four targets against the Dolphins last week, as Kincaid was limited to just 18 plays. The Bills' injury report should be monitored closely, but Knox could be a valuable plug-and-play option if he is forced into the lineup Sunday.
From RotoBaller
Arizona Cardinals running back Emari Demercado could see an increased workload heading into the team's Week 11 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. With Bam Knight (ankle) a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Demercado may build on his career-best performance last week, where he picked up 104 yards from scrimmage on just seven touches. The 26-year-old back is likely to see heavy usage moving forward, with quarterback Jacoby Brissett poised to get the ball out quickly to his playmakers.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor has emerged as a big-play threat in the Vikings' passing attack, after delivering 124 yards and a touchdown on just five receptions. Despite seeing just 14.3% of the target share, Nailor was able to post the most productive game of his young career. The receiver's big game put him on the map for fantasy owners, but prior to Week 10, his biggest game of the season was a three-catch outing for 37 yards. While Nailor should be viewed as a priority on the wire this week, it may be early to expect consistent production.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (glute) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice session. Tillman made his return to the field this past weekend. Before this, Tillman had missed the previous four games due to a hamstring issue. The 25-year-old hauled in two of his four targets for 11 yards in the loss to the New York Jets. The fact Tillman is limited to start the week could just be the Browns being cautious with him. It doesn't appear that Tillman is going to have a huge role in this offense going forward. Despite that, his status is still worth monitoring ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
From RotoBaller
New England Patriots running back Terrell Jennings (knee) is officially listed as questionable ahead of Thursday's Week 11 matchup against the New York Jets. Jennings is still managing a knee injury that he suffered during last weekend's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It sounds like the Patriots are going to wait until closer to game-time before making a final decision. This offense will already be shorthanded with Rhamondre Stevenson (toe) being ruled out. That means, TreVeyon Henderson could be in line for a heavy workload on Thursday. Henderson is looking like an excellent fantasy option after rushing for 147 yards with two touchdowns this past weekend.
From RotoBaller